


The Promise

by minnabird



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Developing Friendships, Families of Choice, Gen, Life Debt, Missions Gone Wrong, Podfic Welcome, Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, background Han/Leia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:55:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24378331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minnabird/pseuds/minnabird
Summary: Chewbacca tells her that his life debt to Han extends to her not on the day of the wedding, but a few weeks before. It warms the part of her that has always worried, just a little, about her intrusion into a years-old status quo between the pair of them. At the same time, she doesn't like the idea of being owed.
Relationships: Chewbacca & Leia Organa
Kudos: 5





	The Promise

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the current weekly prompt over at the SWBB discord: the prompt was to write one character saving another, and Corde gave me Chewie and Leia. It got slightly bigger than I expected.

Chewbacca tells her that his life debt to Han extends to her not on the day of the wedding, but a few weeks before, when she comes by the repair bay the Falcon's cooped up in to find Han and finds Chewie instead. She spends a companionable half an hour lending a hand, getting into the small spaces Chewie's not quite dexterous enough to manage, and he slips the quiet admission in between instructions. She twists the wrench in her hand a little harder than she means to, and is glad she's squeezed halfway into the Falcon's guts, if only because it hides her face. 

"Chewie," she says, her voice a little strained, "I know how much that means to you, but you don't have to..."

«I do,» Chewie replies, and Leia hears the finality. She knows just enough to know that she doesn't know the nuances of this tradition well enough to contradict him. It warms the part of her that has always worried, just a little, about her intrusion into a years-old status quo between the pair of them. At the same time, she doesn't like the idea of being owed. 

She lets it lie.

* * *

The year between Endor and Jakku is one of the most exhausting of Leia's life; she's torn between the competing demands of fighting a war on dozens of fronts and trying to help scrape together a government. 

The mission is supposed to be a straightforward diplomatic one, just cementing ties with a new member world. Han's been called out to deal with a pocket of Imperial resistance in the Inner Rim, and Leia seizes gratefully on the familiar face when Chewie offers to pilot. Of course this one goes wrong. It's almost a relief when the other shoe drops; the back of her neck had been prickling since she got the brief. 

The second they pass through the defense shield over the Chief Administrator's compound, all the electronics on the ship cut out. Chewie pushes her into the pilot's seat and runs to try to bring them back up, but Leia grits her teeth and knows deep in her gut they're in for a crash. 

It's bone-rattling when it comes, and Leia's terrified for a moment when she hears Chewie roar in distress behind her. She pushes out of the crash webbing and runs to him, but he's already regaining his feet and pushing her behind him. She hears, a moment later, the hiss as the boarding ramp opens.

It's an ambush. Of course it is.

The fight is quick and dirty, and their red-uniformed opponents have the advantage of preparation and better training than your average Stormtrooper. They're avoiding hurting her, and they don't expect her to be as good a shot as she is, so she takes a few of them down with her before someone gets in a lucky stun shot.

When she wakes up, the first thing she notices is a low metal ceiling. Cell? But the sound is all wrong, hum and clatter echoing in what sounds like a very large space. Experimentally, she moves her legs, and then sits up. Her view is blocked entirely by a large, brown-furred body, and she huffs as relief floods her. Chewie turns then, holding up a hand to request caution. She nods and swallows down the urge to laugh. 

Leia rolls to her feet and crawls forward to settle beside Chewie. She's been tucked under a ledge of sorts, out of sight. They're in a warehouse of some kind, from the look of it: droids are busily loading crates onto hovercarts and shuttling them off in various directions. Leia taps Chewie's knee, then, using hand signals, she asks, _Where?_

Chewie doesn't hesitate. Before Leia had picked up Shyriiwook, they had communicated this way, two soldiers (she had later learned) from two separate wars, but versed in the same silent language. _Same planet. Looking for transport._

Leia nods. Of course. Whatever Chewie had done to get them here, this is the perfect way to get off-planet: find a way to stow away on a transport. Leia watches the patterns of the droids' movements for a few minutes, then taps Chewie's knee again. _Wait for my signal._

She waits for her moment, then sprints out from their hiding spot. The droid, occupied with its last crate, doesn't see her coming before she leaps onto its back and finds the deactivation switch. She flicks it, and the droid slumps and goes motionless. Leia slithers to the ground, then turns to the crate. The planet is an agri-world. If her guess is right... She holds her breath, then slumps in relief when she sees only harmless dried beans inside. They've settled during the packing process, and there's just enough room for her and Chewie to squeeze inside.

Leia beckons for Chewie. "It'll be cozy," she whispers as she shows him the crate. "Get in; I'll join you in a moment."

Setting a timer for the droid to re-activate is a little more difficult, but the next droid isn't due for a few minutes. It's just enough time. Leia clambers inside the crate and draws the lid mostly closed just in time to hear the droid wake and tell another droid in disgruntled tones, "Must have been a glitch."

"Better notify the shift supervisor. They'll want to check it out," the other says. 

There's movement, then, and Leia settles into the close, warm space and dares to hope they'll get off this planet alive.

* * *

The cargo hold of the freighter is too cold to be comfortable, but Leia climbs out of the crate anyway to stretch her legs. Chewie follows her with a grumble of relief. 

"I guess Fornim didn't want to join the Republic after all," Leia says ruefully as she rolls her neck.

«They wanted to ransom you for their freedom,» Chewie growls. 

"And you saved me," Leia says softly, not quite thinking about the words. Her mind is spinning off into possible consequences of this little adventure when Chewie breaks into her thoughts.

«You would have found a way out on your own.» 

Leia throws a grin at him. "So you agree I don't need anyone promising to protect me," she says. "Face it, Chewbacca: however you count it, we're even."

He's silent a moment, and then his voice comes out in a thoughtful purr. «It still bothers you?»

Leia sighs, and then turns to Chewie, leaning into his chest. "I don't like thinking of you as in my debt," she says. "That's...for me, that's the language of obligation, not love, and not equality. You're my family, Chewie. We fight together, not because it's something either of us owes the other, but because we choose each other."

«Family is a promise,» Chewbacca says. Leia glances up, frowning at the ready agreement. He bares his teeth in a silent laugh. «Try telling a young Han Solo that.»

She gapes at him, then laughs and pushes at his chest. "You great big liar!"

«It's not a lie. Perhaps he is ready to hear the rest of it.»

Leia steps away, but she's still smiling. "He is. He's changed a lot, you know."

«Truthfully, I would have said the life debt extended to you much sooner, had I thought you were ready to hear it,» Chewie says. «Both of you have very thick skulls.» 

"Uh huh. So when did you first think about telling me you were willing to die for me?" Leia challenges. (Her heart is too large in her chest; teasing about this is easier than thinking about it, this new family that has been hers for longer than she knew). 

Chewbacca hums, thinking it over. «Cloud City is when I knew. My loyalty to you could not conflict with loyalty to Han, not when we both wanted you safe, or when you and I both wanted him safe.»

"Well," Leia says. She holds out a hand, tilting her head back to meet Chewie's eyes. "Consider this my promise to stand by you."

Both of Chewie's hands close around hers. «And I you.»


End file.
